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Agreements Expand Opportunities for Wildlife-Related Recreation in Southwest Virginia
Richmond, VA — The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) are pleased to announce that a total of 22,316 acres of land owned by TNC and Cumberland Forest Highlands, LLC (CFH) is now open to the public for the purposes of hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, and wildlife viewing. A Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service, provided funding through DWR to compensate landowners, improve access infrastructure, and enhance wildlife habitats. The properties are in Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell Counties, near the communities of Breaks, Dante and Vansant.
DWR Executive Director, Ryan Brown commented, “We are very pleased to partner with The Nature Conservancy and Cumberland Forest Highlands to open these lands for public access in a beautiful part of the state where outdoor recreation-based economies are being fully embraced.”
The Breaks Parcel includes designated access points to 7,816 acres in Buchanan and Dickenson Counties. This parcel stretches between the communities of Breaks and Greenbrier; which provide excellent opportunities to hunt deer, bear, turkey and small game. For the fortunate hunters who draw an elk license, the area provides good opportunities to hunt elk. This parcel also includes portions of the Coal Canyon and Ridgeview Trails that are part of the Spearhead Trails System managed by the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA). These trails offer the first opportunities in Virginia for hunters and wildlife viewers to utilize ATVs or UTVs to reach public access destinations. This may be particularly helpful for aging and limited mobility wildlife enthusiasts. Finally, this parcel provides bank fishing and paddling opportunities on the Russell Fork River near its confluence with the Pound River. Paddling on the Russell Fork River is extremely challenging during most of the year, and should not be attempted without the proper gear, training and experience.
The Dante Parcel in Russell County includes 9,809 acres with designated access points. The Mountain View trail system, also managed by SRRA, will soon have a trailhead in Dante providing a mix of non-motorized and motorized access into portions of this recreation area including a hiking/biking trail around Straight Hollow, and a motorized trail along the ridgeline from the Dante Trailhead to Honey Branch Road. SRRA and the local community have plans to open these new trails later this spring. The Dante Parcel offers excellent hunting and viewing opportunities for a variety of wildlife species.
Near Vansant, 4,253 acres of public access lands are available. Most of this land is located on Big Fox and Little Fox Creeks. These parcels also offer excellent opportunities for deer, bear, turkey and small game. There is a chance of seeing elk on these parcels, but elk are not as numerous as they are on the Breaks parcel. About 780 acres of land in the War Fork community will be managed as part of the Elk Conservation Area. Public access will only be allowed during special events. This area includes the site where elk were released from 2012 to 2014. Guided public elk viewing tours to this area are provided by Breaks Interstate Park, DWR,TNC, and Southwest Virginia Sportsmen, Inc. Managed hunts for elk, deer and turkey will be offered on TNC and CFH lands in the Elk Conservation Area in the future.
Maps of these new public recreation areas, as well as more detailed information regarding rules and regulations for use, are available on the DWR website at: dwr.virginia.gov/powrr/ or by calling the DWR Marion Office at 276-783-4860.
Conservation Police Officers will be patrolling these areas to ensure compliance with posted rules and to address any unauthorized use. No special fees or permits are required to access these properties on foot or by street-legal vehicles which can only be used on designated open roads. However, any person using ATVs or UTVs on the Coal Canyon, Ridgeview or Mountain View Trails must first purchase a Spearhead Trails permit and comply with all rules for trail use as promulgated by SRRA. Other important trail regulations to note include accessing only at an official trailhead, helmets are required and no hunting is allowed from the trail or from trail vehicles. Firearms must be unloaded and cased while transported on an ATV or UTV.